Featuring 100s of feature length documentary films as well as shorts, DOC NYC is one of the most-anticipated film festivals here in NYC each year. And best of all, you don’t have to be in NYC to be part of it: DOC NYC has an online-only ticket option, in addition to their in-person passes, so you can download their app and watch many of these ground-breaking films from your couch.
This year’s films cover just about every subject you can imagine—with dozens on the subject of women and girls, and many more by women directors , so to help narrow it down for you, here are 13 of our picks of films by and about women and feminist issues—including the moving story of Yazidi girl who was sold to ISIS when she was 10, a profile of some funny AF abortion activists, and a portrait of a fierce feminist rock band.
The DOC NYC festival runs through November 16, 2023, so grab your tickets today.
MEDIHA
Director: Hasan Oswald
In this uniquely collaborative film, a Yazidi teen once held captive by ISIS turns the lens on herself and takes us into her world of grief, pain, and hope. If you only have the budget to catch one film at this year’s festival, this is the one to see.
NO ONE ASKED YOU
Director: Ruth Leitman
Daily Show co-creator Lizz Winstead brings us on the road with her merry band of activists and comedians as they crisscross the U.S. to support abortion clinics and providers.
PRETTY UGLY – THE STORY OF THE LUNACHICKS
Director: Ilya Chaiken
In the ’90s, the Lunachicks, a fierce all-female punk band, rocked NYC’s underground scene, rebelling against music industry sexism to deliver high-voltage performances.
WE ARE FIRE! DRAW FOR CHANGE
Director: Karen Vázquez Guadarramax
Mar’s feminist illustrations support her community in dealing with the emotional trauma left behind by the staggering number of femicides in Mexico.
FANNY: THE OTHER MENDELSSOHN
Director: Sheila Hayman
Born in 1800’s Berlin, composer Fanny Mendelssohn’s remarkable talents were eclipsed by her brother Felix. Unearthed by feminist scholars, her inspiring musical legacy gives overdue credit to the brilliant musician.
THE DISAPPEARANCE OF SHERE HITE
Director: Nicole Newnham
Feminist sexologist Shere Hite, who helped change public perception toward female sexuality in the 1970s and ‘80s, mysteriously fell from prominence over time. This film explores why we don’t know more about her groundbreaking work. IFC Films
EVERY BODY
Director: Julie Cohen
Capturing a new generation of intersex people who are living loudly and proudly, this film covers the history, science, and politics of a movement advocating against medically unnecessary surgeries on intersex children. Focus Features
GOING TO MARS: THE NIKKI GIOVANNI STORY
Directors: Joe Brewster, Michèle Stephenson
Nikki Giovanni is a trailblazing poet who rose to be a key figure in the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s and remains just as vibrant today. HBO Documentary Films
BLACK GIRLS PLAY: THE STORY OF HAND GAMES
Directors: Joe Brewster, Michéle Stephenson
Learn about the impactful and joyful hand games played by Black girls from generation to generation. ESPN Films
APOLONIA, APOLONIA
Director: Lea Glob
Over 13 years, a Danish film student and a Parisian painter weave a complex portrait of a current generation’s loves, lives, and losses. Best Feature-Length Documentary, IDFA
KOKOMO CITY
Director: D. Smith
Profiling four Black transgender sex workers, these women are raw and hilarious as they celebrate their self-realization in the face of discrimination and violence. Next Innovator Award, Sundance Film Festival 2023 Magnolia Pictures
SMOKE SAUNA SISTERHOOD
Director: Anna Hints
Amidst wood, wire, smoke, and sweat, a group of Estonian women find each other and themselves. Jury Award, Directing World Cinema Documentary, Sundance Film Festival 2023 Greenwich Entertainment
NAKED AMBITION: BUNNY YEAGER
Directors: Dennis Scholl, Kareem Tabsch
Bunny Yeager was a trailblazing model, designer, and photographer who popularized the bikini, invented the selfie, discovered Bettie Page, and introduced feminist agency in her sexy portraits of the ’50s
